srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第39部分

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　Ramen　population　had　been　dangerously　reduced；　by　winter　or　war。　And　they　all　had　Kam's　driven；　sleepless　aspect；　as　if　they　could　not　rest　because　their　dreams　were　fraught　with　horror。
　　　　Now　Covenant　knew　intuitively　what　it　was。　All　of　them；　even　the　children；　were　haunted　by　the　bloody　visage　of　Ranyhyn　extermination。　They　were　afraid　that　the　meaning；　the　reason；　of　their　entire　race　would　soon　be　eradicated　utterly　from　the　Land。　The　Ramen　had　always　lived　for　the　Ranyhyn；　and　now　they　believed　they　would　only　survive　long　enough　to　see　the　last　Ranyhyn　slaughtered。　As　long　as　the　great　horses　refused　to　leave　the　Plains；　the　Ramen　were　helpless　to　prevent　that　end。
　　　　Only　their　stubborn；　fighting　pride　kept　them　from　despair。
　　　　They　met　Covenant；　Lena；　and　the　Giant　with　silence　and　hollow　stares。　Lena　hardly　seemed　to　notice　them；　but　Foamfollower　gave　them　a　bow　in　the　Ramen　style；　and　Covenant　took　his　example；　though　the　salute　exposed　his　ring　for　all　to　see。
　　　　Several　Cords　murmured　at　the　sight　of　the　white　gold；　and　one　of　the　Manethralls　said　grimly；　〃It　is　true；　then。　He　has　returned。〃　When　Kam　told　them　what　the　wounded　Ranyhyn　had　done；　some　recoiled　in　pained　amazement；　and　others　muttered　angrily　under　their　breath。　Yet　they　all　bowed　to　Covenant；　the　Ranyhyn　had　reared　to　him；　and　the　Ramen　could　not　refuse　him　wele。
　　　　Then　the　Winhomes；　the　Ramen　who　were　too　young　or　too　old　or　too　crippled　to　be　Cords；　moved　away；　and　the　three　Manethralls　Kam　had　mentioned　earlier　came　forward　to　be　introduced。　When　they　had　given　their　names；　Manethrall　Jain；　the　grim　woman　who　had　just　spoken；　asked　Kam；　〃Was　it　necessary　to　admit　the　Giant？〃
　　　　〃He's　my　friend；〃　Covenant　said　at　once。　〃And　Bannor　knows　he　can　be　trusted；　even　if　the　Bloodguard　are　too　thickheaded　to　say　such　things　out　loud。　I　wouldn't　be　here　if　it　weren't　for　Saltheart　Foamfollower。〃
　　　　〃You　honor　me　too　much；〃　Foamfollower　said　wryly。
　　　　The　Manethralls　weighed　Covenant's　words　as　if　his　speech　had　more　than　one　meaning。　But　Bannor　said；　〃Saltheart　Foamfollower　shared　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law　with　High　Lord　Prothall；　ur…Lord　Covenant；　and　Manethrall　Lithe。　At　that　time；　he　was　worthy　of　trust。　But　I　have　seen　many　trusts　fall　into　Corruption。　Perhaps　nothing　of　the　old　Giantish　faith　remains。〃
　　　　〃You　don't　believe　that；〃　Covenant　snapped。
　　　　Bannor　raised　one　eyebrow。　〃Have　you　seen　The　Grieve；　ur…Lord？　Has　Saltheart　Foamfollower　told　you　what　occurred　in　the　Seareach　home　of　the　Giants？〃
　　　　〃No。〃
　　　　〃Then　you　have　been　too　quick　with　your　trust。〃
　　　　Covenant　tightened　his　grip　on　himself。　〃Why　don't　you　tell　me　about　it？〃
　　　　〃That　is　not　my　place。　I　do　not　offer　to　guide　you　to　Ridjeck　Thome。
　　　　Covenant　started　to　protest；　but　Foamfollower　placed　a　restraining　hand　on　his　shoulder。　In　spite　of　the　conflicting　emotions　which　knotted　the　Giant's　forehead；　smoldered　dangerously　in　his　cavernous　eye…sockets；　his　voice　was　steady　as　he　said；　〃Is　it　the　Ramen　custom　to　keep　their　guests　standing　cold　and　hungry　after　a　long　journey？〃
　　　　Kam　spat　on　the　ground；　but　Manethrall　Jain　replied　tautly；　〃No；　that　is　not　our　custom。　Behold。〃　She　nodded　toward　the　head　of　the　canyon；　where　the　Winhomes　were　busy　around　a　large　fire　under　the　overhang　of　one　of　the　pillars。　〃The　food　will　be　prepared　soon。　It　is　kresh　meat；　but　you　may　eat　it　in　safety…it　has　been　cooked　many　times。〃　Then　she　took　Lena's　arm　and　said；　〃e。　You　have　suffered　at　the　sight　of　the　Ranyhyn。　Thus　you　share　our　pain。　We　will　do　what　we　can　to　restore　you。〃　As　she　spoke；　she　guided　Lena　toward　the　fire。
　　　　Covenant　was　seething　with　frustration　and　dread；　but　he　could　not　refuse　the　warmth　of　the　campfire；　his　flesh　needed　it　too　badly。　His　fingertips　and　knuckles　had　a　frostbitten　look　in　addition　to　their　sick　numbness；　and　he　knew　that　if　he　did　not　tend　his　feet　soon　he　would　be　in　danger　of　blood　poisoning　and　gangrene。　The　effort　of　self…mand　hurt　him；　yet　he　followed　Lena　and　Jain　to　the　fire。　As　quietly　as　he　could；　he　asked　one　of　the　Winhomes　for　hot　water　in　which　to　bathe　his　feet。
　　　　Despite　his　numbness；　the　soaking　of　his　feet　gave　him　relief。　The　hot　water　helped　the　fire's　warmth　thaw　out　his　bones。　And　his　feet　were　not　as　badly　damaged　as　he　had　feared　they　would　be。　Both　were　swollen　with　infection；　but　the　harm　was　no　worse　than　it　had　been　several　days　ago。　For　some　reason；　his　flesh　was　resisting　the　illness。　He　was　glad　to　discover　that　he　was　in　no　immediate　danger　of　losing　his　feet。
　　　　A　short　time　later；　the　food　was　ready。　Kam's　seven　Cords　sat　cross…legged　around　the　fire　with　the　four　Manethralls；　Banner；　Foamfollower；　Lena；　and　Covenant；　and　the　Winhomes　set　dry；　brittle　banana　leaves　in　front　of　them　as　plates。　Covenant　found　himself　positioned　between　Lena　and　Bannor。　A　lame　man　muttering　dimly　to　himself　served　the　three　of　them　stew　and　hot　winter　potatoes。　Covenant　did　not　relish　the　idea　of　eating　kresh…he　expected　to　find　the　meat　rank　and　stringy…but　it　had　been　cooked　so　long；　with　such　potent　herbs；　that　only　a　faint　bitterness　remained。　And　it　was　hot。　His　appetite　for　heat　seemed　insatiable。　He　ate　as　if　he　could　see　long　days　of　cold；　scarce　provender　ahead　of　him。
　　　　He　had　good　reason。　Without　help；　he　and　his　panions　would　not　be　able　to　find　enough　food　for　the　journey　to　Foul's　Creche。　He　seemed　to　remember　having　heard　somewhere　that　aliantha　did　not　grow　in　the　Spoiled　Plains。　The　hostility　of　the　Ramen　boded　ill　for　him　in　more　ways　than　one。
　　　　Though　he　was　afraid　of　it；　he　knew　he　would　have　to　penetrate　to　the　bottom　of　that　hostility。
　　　　He　looked　for　an　antidote　to　fear　in　food；　but　while　he　chewed　and　thought；　he　was　interrupted　by　a　strange　man　who　strode　unexpectedly　into　the　covert。　The　man　entered　at　the　far　end　of　the　canyon；　and　moved　directly；　deliberately；　toward　the　seated　men　and　women。　His　dress　vaguely　resembled　that　of　the　Ramen；　he　used　the　same　materials　to　make　his　thin　shirt　and　pants；　his　cloak。　But　he　wore　the　cloak　hanging　from　his　shoulders　in　a　way　that　affected　his　freedom　of　movement　more　than　any　Ramen　would　have　tolerated。　And　he　bore　no　cords　anywhere　about　him。　Instead　of　a　Ramen　garrote；　he　carried　a　short　spear　like　a　staff　in　one　hand；　and　under　his　belt　he　wore　a　sharp　wooden　stave。
　　　　Despite　the　directness　with　which　he　approached；　he　created　an　impression　of　unfortable　daring；　as　if　he　had　some　reason　to　believe　that　the　Ramen　might　jeer　at　him。　His　gaze　flicked　fearfully　about　him；　jumping　away　from　rather　than　toward　what　he　saw。
　　　　He　had　an　air　of　blood　about　him　that　Covenant　could　not　explain。　He　was　clean；　uninjured；　neither　spear　nor　spike　showed　recent　use。　Yet　something　in　him　spoke　of　blood；　of　killing　and　hunger。　As　the　man　reached　the　fire；　Covenant　realized　that　all　the　Ramen　were　sitting　stiffly　in　their　places…not　moving；　not　eating；　not　looking　at　the　stranger。　They　knew　this　man　in　a　way　that　gave　them　pain。
　　　　After　a　moment；　the　man　said　aggressively；　〃Do　you　eat　without　me？　I；　too；　need　food。〃
　　　　Manethrall　Jain's　eyes　did　not　raise　themselves　from　the　ground。　〃You　are　wele；　as　you　know。　Join　us　or　take　what　food　you　require。''
　　　　〃Am　I　so　wele？　Where　are　the　salutes　and　words　of　greeting？　Pah！　You　do　not　even　gaze　at　me。〃
　　　　But　when　Kam　glared　up　from　under　his　angry　brows　at　the　stranger；　the　man　winced　and　looked　away。
　　　　Jain　said　softly；　〃You　have　drunk　blood。〃
　　　　〃　Yes！〃　the　man　barked　rapidly。　''　And　you　are　offended。　You　understand　nothing。　If　I　were　not　the　best　runner　and　Ranyhyn…tender　in　the　Plains　of　Ra；　you　would　slay　me　where　I　stand　without　a　moment's　concern　for　your　promises。〃
　　　　Darkly；　Kam　muttered；　〃We　are　not　so　swift　to　forget　promises。〃
　　　　The　stranger　took　no　notice　of　Kam's　assertion。　〃Now　I　see　guests　among　you。　The　Ringthane　himself。　And　a　Giant''…he　drawled　acerbically…〃if　my　eyes　do　not　mistake。　Are　Ravers　also　wele？〃
　　　　Covenant　was　surprised　to　hear　Banner　speaking　before　either　Jain　or　Kam　could　reply。　〃He　is　Saltheart　Foamfollower。〃　The　Bloodguard's　alien　inflection　carried　an　odd　note　of　intensity；　as　if　he　were　municating　a　crucial　fact。
　　　　〃Saltheart　Foamfollower！〃　the　stranger　jeered。　But　he　did　not　meet　the　Giant's　gaze。　〃Then　you　are　already　certain　that　he　is　a　Raver。〃
　　　　Kam　said；　〃We　are　uncertain。〃
　　　　Still　the　man　ignored　him。　〃And　the　Ringthane…the　tormentor　of　horses。　Does　he　also　Rave？　He　holds　his　proper　place…at　the　right　hand　of　a　Bloodguard。　This　is　a　proud　feast…all　the　crudest　foes　of　the　Ranyhyn　together。　And　wele！〃
　　　　At　this；　Jain's　tone　tightened。　〃You　also　are　wele。　Join　us…or　take　what　food　you　require　and　go。〃
　　　　A　Winhome　moved　hesitantly　toward　the　stranger；　carrying　a　leaf　laden　with　food。　He　caught　it　from　her　hands　brusquely。　〃I　will　go。　I　hear　your　heart　deny　your　words。　I　am　not　proud　or　wele　enough　to　eat　with　such　as　these。''　At　once；　he　turned　sarcastically　on　his　heel；　strode　back　the　way　he　had　e。　Moments　later；　he　had　left　the　covert　as　abruptly　as　he　had　entered。
　　　　Covenant　stared　unprehendingly　after　him；　then　looked　toward　the　Manethralls　for　some　explanation。　But　they　sat　glowering　at　their　food　as　if　they　could　not　meet　either　his　eyes　or　each　other's。　Foamfollower　also　showed　no　understanding　of　what　had　happened。　Lena　had　not　noticed　it；　she　was　half　asleep　where　she　sat。　Covenant　turned　to　Banner。
　　　　The　Bloodguard　faced　Covenant's　question　squarely；　answered　it　with　the　same　dispassionate　intensity。　〃He　is　Pietten。〃
　　　　〃Pietten；〃　Covenant　repeated　dismally。　And　Foamfollower　echoed　thickly；　〃Pietten！〃
　　　　〃He　and　the　Heer　Llaura　were　saved　by　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law　at　the　battle　of　Soaring　Woodhelven。　Do　you　remember？　Llaura　and　the　child　Pietten　were　damaged…〃
　　　　〃I　remember；〃　Covenant　answered　bitterly。　〃The　ur…viles　did　something　to　them。　They　were　used　to　bait　the　trap。　She…she…''　The　memory　appalled　him。　Llaura　had　been　horribly　abused；　and　all　her　great　courage　had　not　sufficed　to　overe　what　had　been　done　to　her。　And　the　child；　Pietten…the　child；　too；　had　been　abused。
　　　　Across　Covenant's　dismay；　Foamfollower　said；　〃We　bore　both　Heer　Llaura　and　Piett